Next Contestant
by niaht
Summary: AU Sana oneshot. Sawyer watches her every night, watches out for her. Rated for some language and mild violence.


Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise ;)

AN: Like most of my Sana fics, this was inspired by a Nickelback song. I really don't like the ending, but oh well. Please review!

-oOo-

Sawyer hated what she was wearing that night. It was slightly skimpier than usual, and she was getting more of the wrong kind of attention. He took a slow drink from the bottle in his hand, his eyes never leaving her.

Ana-Lucia didn't know he was there. She never really did. He stood in the shadows, sometimes sitting at the most unused table in the bar. He would spend his nights watching her pour drinks for men who didn't even deserve to look at her. He'd make sure nothing ever got too out of hand, and if it did, the sleazebag in question would have a date with Sawyer's fist out the back.

Tonight was not really any different. Sawyer bought his drink from the other barmaid, took a seat in a gloomy corner, and his eyes never left her. He was alert to any person who looked at any part of her other than her face. He listened in to the conversations she had with the seedy customers. He turned over in his mind whether or not it was really worth being here another night, if he really cared that much, and why.

If Ana knew he came here every night she worked just to protect her, she'd probably kill him. His protectiveness, sometimes over-protectiveness, was eventually their undoing. She was always tough and independent, but Sawyer knew she could give into temptation, especially after a few drinks. After all, temptation had been the essence of their relationship. It'd start with flirting, and before long, they'd be in bed, knowing they'd regret it in the morning.

That didn't happen any more, though. After Sawyer hospitalised a guy for 'accidentally' touching her chest, she'd stayed away. They hadn't talked for over three weeks. But Sawyer needed to see her. He needed to reassure himself that she was alright, and no one was treating her less than she was worth.

He knew better than to get involved, though. He'd felt her fury before, and didn't particularly want to again.

A guy walked through the doors. He slowly flicked a lock of shaggy, dark hair from his eyes, and noticed Ana at the bar. A quick smile crossed his face, but Sawyer caught it. And he didn't like it. It reminded him of the type of smile he used to give women he was aiming to get into bed by the end of the night.

Sawyer recognised this guy. He'd been pissing him off the most: he'd been the one getting closest to her.

The guy took a seat at the bar, and Ana came over. She smiled at him, and they started talking. Ana served him a drink. She excused herself and moved away to serve some other customers, but the guy didn't move. Neither did Sawyer.

After about ten minutes, another girl came out to the bar. She was pretty, but not as beautiful as Ana, Sawyer thought. She told Ana it was her break; she'd cover her for fifteen minutes. Ana nodded and moved out from behind the bar.

The guy with the shaggy hair invited her to sit with him. Sawyer scowled as Ana accepted, and they moved to a couple of sofas with a low table.

Yeah, he was jealous. That, and his protective instinct for her, was why he was here. He was so hell jealous that worthless guys could buy her drinks, knowing all they wanted was to be the one to take that skirt off her tonight. But she was his. He cared for her more than anything, ever. _He_ should be the one with her. _He_ was responsible for her. _He_ was going to protect her.

This guy was tricky. He had been coming here the last few nights, each time getting slightly closer to Ana, and one day he was going to go too far.

Ana laughed, and the noise drifted over to Sawyer, penetrating his cold silence like a fire, lit right under his nose, curling right up into his mind. He took another drink.

The guy shifter closer, and it didn't escape Sawyer's notice. He leaned over, muttering something in Ana's ear. She giggled. In what he must have thought was a subtle way; the guy put this hand on Ana's bare knee. It slid up, and as it hit the hem of her skirt, the guy tilted his lips to Ana's, she gasped, and Sawyer exploded.

All the bottled up jealousy and frustration flooded out in a fury. Sawyer stood up extremely quickly, his chair flying back and falling over noisily, and his beer bottle slipping from his fingers to smash on the floor. He strode over to the pair, and as he did, the conversation in the bar seemed to die down. His yells were easily heard by everyone, and he meant them.

"Get your freakin' filthy hands offa' her!"

Sawyer knocked the small table out of the way, and pulled the guy up by his shirt collar. He wanted to hurt this guy, just for touching her.

"Let go of me." The guy said gruffly; and Sawyer tightened his grip on his neck.

"Yeah? You think I should?" Sawyer leaned in close to the guys face. "What the _hell_ gives you the right to touch her, you -

"What the hell gives you the right to stop me? Who the hell are you?" the guy coughed.

"I'm her -

"Sawyer! Freakin' let go of him!"

Sawyer paused, then practically threw the guy back down. Ana got up and stood right in front of Sawyer.

"What was that! What are you _doing_ here!"

Sawyer looked angrily from Ana to the guy on the sofa, his fists clenched at his sides.

"Hey!" Ana grabbed his arm. "What do you think you're doing! Sawyer!"

Sawyer turned his gaze back down to the woman in front of him. "He _touched_ you, Ana."

The guy stood up. "Hell _yes_ I touched her! There a _law_ against it?" he said, his hands resting gently on Ana's hips. As soon as Sawyer saw this, he pushed Ana out of the way and tackled the guy to the ground. In a matter of seconds, the guy's lip was bleeding, and a mark had formed on his cheek. As soon as he registered what was happening, the guy pushed Sawyer off and stood up, glaring at him. Sawyer stood up slowly.

"That all you got?" the guy asked, wiping his lip.

"I'm only gettin' started, boy." Sawyer muttered and another punch flew out, hitting the guy square in the jaw. He lashed out at Sawyer's legs, knocking him off his feet. Ana hovered helplessly by, not being able to do anything. Sawyer pulled the guy down with him and hit him again in the face. He might not have made such a big deal about it, but this guy was… he was making it more personal than it already was.

Ana was yelling at them both to stop, get up, stop, but both ignored her. The guy pushed Sawyer off him and rolled on top, hitting Sawyer back.

"Stop! What are you - Richard! Get off him!"

A sudden wave of pure anger flooded over Sawyer and he flung 'Richard' off him, standing up in front of Ana.

"_Richard_? What kinda' pretty-boy name is that? _Richard_…" Sawyer said the name like it was hurting him, disgusted by the very thought.

"Sawyer…" Ana started, but Richard had recovered, and the two were once again on the ground in seconds, a mass of wildly flailing limbs.

Ana had obviously had enough of this by this point, because she grabbed Sawyer's arm and pulled him up with more strength than he expected.

"Get up." She said, and Sawyer let her guide him to the door, scowling fiercely at Richard. Ana pulled the door open with her free hand, and Sawyer followed her. As soon as the door closed, Ana released his arm. She stood defiantly in front of him, awaiting an explanation. Sawyer couldn't meet her eyes.

"I - um… you, uh, weren't meant to see that." He said finally.

Ana's eyebrows went up disbelievingly. "_I wasn't meant to see that_! Seriously! What the hell is wrong with you? You… you just… all you can say is that _I wasn't meant to see that_!"

"You weren't! I should've waited 'till after, like the others -" Sawyer cut himself off, realising he'd said too much, but Ana noticed.

"The _others_? Wait, this has happened _before_?"

"Well, not exactly…" Sawyer decided to come clean; she always had been able to see right through his lies. He sighed. "I usually tear the heads off the assholes _outside_, where you can't see."

Ana stared at him. "_What_?"

Sawyer shrugged. "I just… hate it when they touch you."

"Sawyer!" Ana yelled his name in frustration, realising what had been going on. "You _beat up_ every guy that comes near me! God!"

"Hey, I didn't hurt them that much! Well, not all of them…"

Ana threw her hands up and started muttering in Spanish. Sawyer looked at the ground, feeling like a kid being told off by a teacher for pushing a guy off the playground. But teachers don't usually curse you as much as Ana was now. He knew they were curses; he had heard them before. He glanced up at her. She was gazing up at the starry sky, her lips moving rhythmically. The lips that were so indescribably beautiful and familiar to him, mesmerising him. Her features were lit up by the pathetic streetlight they were standing next to. He didn't really know what to do, just standing in front of her, while she muttered things he didn't understand. He didn't know what to do, so he kissed her.

Sawyer took a swift step forward and placed his hands on either side of her face, turning it to his lips before she could protest. They connected with a burning, skin on skin. Sawyer pressed his tongue instinctively against Ana's lips, and she let him in, kissing him back with just as much passion. Sawyer knew they probably shouldn't be doing this; it would just it harder when one of them left. But he didn't stop, and neither did she.

When they finally broke apart, it seemed a little warmer. The faint streetlight flickered, and went out, leaving them in darkness. Sawyer's hands stayed tangled in Ana's hair. Her eyes stayed closed for a while, then she slowly reached up and touched his face.

"We can try again," Sawyer said, trying to keep his voice level. "We can try again, and I'll do whatever I have to, to keep you with me."

Ana swallowed and pressed her lips together. "I want to, Sawyer," she said finally. "I want to try. But…"

Sawyer leaned down, levelling his face with hers, gazing urgently into her eyes. "Ana," he untangled his hand, running it through her hair gently. "I really, _really_ want you… want you to come with me. I miss you so much, so much that I end up hangin' out at this dump every freakin' night so I can see you. And I need to know that you're alright, all the time. Just…" he looked down. He was crap at all this sensitive stuff, and they both knew it. "God, I don't know. I can't even say what I feel. It's too much. I need you, Ana."

Ana stared at him, her brow crinkled in a thoughtful frown. "I wish you knew, Sawyer. How much I need you."

They were silent for a moment, before Sawyer said, "Show me."

Ana crushed her lips against his without hesitation, pouring all her thoughts into him on contact. Sawyer drew her closer to him, their bodies pressing together perfectly, like two tiny parts of a huge jigsaw, finally united. Completing the puzzle.

This time when they parted, Ana pressed herself against Sawyer's chest, wrapping her arms around his waist and breathing him in. She stayed there for much too long, but she pulled back much too soon for either of their likings.

"I, um… I better go back, you know, before -

"No freakin' way! I ain't lettin' you go back in there! You're comin' back to my place with me, and we ain't gonna think about any _Richards_ for the rest of our lives!"

Ana laughed, and Sawyer looped his arm around her shoulders. They wandered slowly down the dark street, as the world finally righted itself, knowing all was as it was meant to be.


End file.
